A Comparative Study on the English Translation of Reduplicated Words in Chinese Poetry Based on Eco-translatology

Abstract

As a highly expressive rhetorical device in classical Chinese poetry, reduplicated words possess unique aesthetic value in semantic connotation, phonological rhythm and morphological presentation. However, due to the fundamental differences between Chinese and English linguistic systems, the English translation of Chinese reduplicated words has long been a difficult task in translation practice.

This paper looks at two English translations of the famous reduplicative opening in Li Qingzhao’s Slow, Slow Tune. Using eco-translatology as its theoretical lens, it compares the translators’ choices, examining how each navigated the constraints of language, culture, and communicative effect. What emerges is a picture of translation as a dynamic balancing act—a process in which the translator constantly adjusts, compromises, and seeks the best fit within a complex web of forces. The findings offer a systematic way of thinking about how reduplicated words in classical poetry might be translated and evaluated more thoughtfully.